On 14 November 2016, Bangladesh Navy (BN) took delivery of two old refurbished Chinese Type 035G Ming-class diesel-electric submarines. As part of the US$ 203 million contract signed in 2013, the submarines were handed over to the BN crew during a ceremony at the Liao Nan Shipyard in China’s Dalian city. The submarines are slated […]
Tomorrow, 26 November 2016, the nation will observe the eight anniversary of the ‘26/11’ Mumbai terrorist attacks. Precisely two months back on 26 September 2016, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled its 2015 report on the General and Social Sector (Government of Odisha) in the State Assembly. The report highlighted that the […]
The much-awaited China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been officially flagged off with the first consignment from China setting sail from Gwadar to the African and West Asian markets on 13 November 2016. The Corridor’s newly built western route was chosen for the transit of the trucks all the way from Kashgar in China to Pakistan’s […]
On 09 November 2016, the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2316 (2016), renewing authorisation for international naval forces to combat piracy off the Somali coast. The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) comes days after the announcement by the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), on 04 November 2016, of a confirmed attack […]
India is the seventh-largest economy in the world as measured by nominal GDP and third largest economy as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP). The industrial sector registered a growth of 5.9 per cent in 2014-15, and India aims to grow further in this sector. Revitalizing Project ‘Sagarmala’ in 2014 is a major step towards […]
Introduction The ‘Blue Economy’ endorses sustainable development of the seas and oceans and attempts to balance social, environmental and economic goals while promoting exploration and utilization of oceanic resources. The concept has found widespread acceptance amongst coastal countries and island states and Prime Minister Modi has called for regional cooperation to support India’s vision of […]
The unfolding events in the South China Sea (SCS) in the last one decade plus has been tumultuous to say the least. The year Code of Conduct (CoC) 1was signed in Cambodia (2002) can be taken as the bench mark year when the members of the ASEAN and China agreed on prescribed methods for preventing […]
The Colombo Port City Project is a significant and arguably among Sri Lanka’s most controversial infrastructure projects. Initiated by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa with a vision to rejuvenate Sri Lanka’s stagnant economy, the project is worth about $1.4 billion. The Chinese President Xi Jinping and former Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa officially launched the port […]
The Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt (BIG-B) plan for shared economic cooperation was announced in September 2014 when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Dhaka. This marked a new era in Japan-Bangladesh relations as both countries moved towards enhanced economic relations. 1 Japan has committed to provide a loan of approximately USD 5 billion to […]
China and Iran recently concluded a deal on developing Abadan oil refinery, the largest oil refinery in Iran. In September 2016, the final agreement was reached between China’s Stateowned oil refinery SINOPEC and Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company. The deal comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Iran earlier in 2016. The visit occurred […]
On 4th September, the USS Firebolt, a coastal patrol boat, operating in the Persian Gulf was the subject of ‘harassment’ by seven Iranian boats operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN). This was preceded by a series of similar incidents in the week commencing 22nd August, which eventually led to the firing of […]
China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and the verdict of the Hague based Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal have made international headlines. In the wake of these developments, China has recently testes its new undersea glider Haiyi7000 (“Sea Wing”), which is an unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). In July-August 2016, Haiyi-7000 was deployed […]